Re-quest: How to learn Polish quickly - Let's share views/advices!

Ok - My strategy of learning:

I am short of funds, so I can't really join a class of polish.
Off course that is what MOST people do - it is 'easy' effortless somehow, and you get help from other people.

I often don't like classes/teachers so I have some negative reasons not to choose to take a course also... but nevertheless -
no money = no course!

So, I spend a lot of time on looking through the dictionary, writing down words.
I start with MAINLY verbs - because to me verbs are like the blood in the body - they get you involved - into ACTION!
The difficulty with verbs is that to conjugate them, they ARE quite complex!!

There is a wonderful GRAMMAR on the internet - Oscar E. Swan wrote it and it is downloadable free of charge. Just search grammar and his name and you will find it. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!!!

There is Wordreference.com - the best dictionary online I found - but not completely all right.
There is a lack of a good online dictionary as far as I see.
A good dictionary of polish should have:

1 The words... (obvious)
2 The case followed after each verb
3 Notion on which conjugation group the verb belongs to (Nice info)
4 Notion on perfective/imperfective pairs (VERY nice info)
5 Advanced notion of Pf/Imp pairs - the different endings (this should be written only on the 'main root verb)
6 A very extremely good learner's dictionary should have basics of polish grammar written into it with PEDAGOGICALLY PRESENTED information.

I hate to say it, but my view is that we are living in an information stone age when it comes to easy accessible information (well presented) when it comes to many 'subjects' - languages, and probably a lot of university studies also.
Dilemma: People who present information - because they know it, very often, or just too often, lack knowledge/skill in HOW to present it, WHAT to present, HOW to motivate, and so on.

Dilemma 2: Internet technology is a baby child. Civilization as we know it is a baby child. We know almost NOTHING. But in my imagination I think we are really in a time when you can IMAGINE the vast POSSIBILITIES of information technology.
And society gets BETTER, so... it will be solved, and improved, no doubt!! And I want to improve that!

Ok.. what more:

Learners engine: You should be intense, set a bright emotional goal for your learning. Approach it as Carl Lewis for his 100 meter run, just you have to run a longer time

Best is to have people to work with - it motivates.

There is a dictionary for mobile phones - Edslowo sth... I don't remember.

OK!!! My mind got emptied.

Welcome next poster!

Peaco/Patrik

Hi

I have no idea what method will be the best in learning Polish but as long as you're in Poland and contact with Polish people, you're basically in a great environment to learn the langauge.
In my case, I started with simple grammar and phrases with a book called 'Colloquial Polish'(routledge) ,which I think is a recommendable start. Based on the basic knowledge of grammar, phrases, structures and volcabulary (they cannot go seperately, should be simultaneously studided), I think you can keep go on with more complicated words, phrases with some other materials and challenge chatting with Polish people.

Coming back to my story, I studied and practiced mainly written Polish when I was still in my countray back then, but I realized that I could not speak nor understand what native Polish people said when I finally had come to Poland. My ears could not catch the sound properly and my mouth just could not create sounds that only Polish language has. Believe me, I had to practice my muscle around my lips first to be able to move my mouth to speak in proper pronounciation. So, I started to focus on practicing verbal language , trying to talk to native Polish people. It was a real challenge , as I recall.

Now I can speak Polish quite fluently but I'm facing another problem at the moment. Polish seems really rich language and without having knowledge of their culture, understanding  mentality and having the same sense of humor, I just cannot seem to dig it up anymore. I think it's something more than language barrier, which is the hardest part to break through.

Anyway, I know my comment was not so helpful but what I think is better is to learn step by step.

Good luck

I can recommend the series of books named 'Hurra'. They are modern and really well designed. Polish is a really tough language so the best thing I can say is to be determined...

I also learn German and there is literally, endless amounts of high quality resource out there to help you learn. Polish is different, you need to be creative and make your own. At the moment I'm practicing watching some old Polish series and translating as much as I can or just listening for gist.

Here's an English explanation of the series I'm watching 'Stawka większa niż życie'
http://doyouspeakpolish.blogspot.com/20 … kloss.html

Other than that, just get out there speaking with people. Don't worry about cases, people will understand even if you use them wildly

Thanks for the tips!

(oops I guess that was a Swedish misspell *ha ha!)

I got the Hurrah hurrah. It IS a decent book - I agree - but I don't like it THAT much really. It is ok. But it was TERRIBLE for a beginner who does not understand Polish to first have to understand what the (PIIIP) they were talking about (the instructions) - so I put it aside.

Now I AM getting back to that anyway.

My tip: Check out Iplex.pl they have polish subtitles - that helps!

Immersion is a key to learning.
Polyglots on Youtube has said things like: Translate from Mothertongue to 'Language X' (Polish), and THEN TRANSLATE BACK AGAIN!!
The double translation makes things stick to you. (remembering)

And I want to repeat - please help ME, but help ALL who are 'watching this discussion' OK????
I don't worry - I will learn this language. But I want to help anyone who might want some extra help. (Because this language is REALLY difficult).

AND: I also would like to make a book on learning polish, so if anyone cares about such a thing - maybe contact me.
It is not going to take one day but some serious time.
There is just such an AMAZING AMOUNT of possible improvement of the material I have encountered so far (about learning Polish).

And that is ALSO the focus of this discussion! So Thanks ALL of YOU! Please post your crazy ideas / or your very wise ideas!

Peaco/Patrik

I'm a Polish teacher and my advice is from the other side:)

First of all, if you don't have money, it doesn't mean that you can't learn with somebody. If you speak any other language well, you can offer conversations or music lessons in exchange. Polish teachers or students also may need them:)

Unfortunately there's no good dictionary for foreigners. But for verbs I recommend this one.

Alone you can learn forms but the most difficult part is to understand what people say. Listen to the radio TOK FM or watch tv as often as possible. Polish pronunciation is not so difficult but somebody should check yours.

There are some free short Polish courses on the web, you have links here.

"Hurra" is a great book but not for self studying. A lot needs to be explained by a teacher. "Polish without tears" can help with grammar.

When you speak, don't think about cases! Communication is more important, Poles like foreigners who speak Polish.

I'll think more how can I help you. Do usłyszenia!

witam,
i've learned polish language in polonicum at warsaw university when i was in warsaw last year.
as my experienced when i learned polish language is 1st u need to learn polish alphabet and try to hear it then follow it.
the most important is dont ever feel bored to learn and repeat as well because the key's to learn polish languange is u need to repeat and talk with polish peoples around you. thats what i did when i was in poland.i tried to talk with polish people with my polish accent of course, but they really understand and helpful.and i lived with polish family it helped me a lot to learn polish.and now i can speak polish with a good pronounciation and my opinion about polish language is i love polish language .i wish u all the best with ur polish language.

YES!!! Being bored is not really helpful for learning!
A tip - if you are - Do something different! Stand on your head, wave with your arms, pull out your tongue (not with scissors) - it helps! (It is a strange psyche stuff but true!)

Second tip - if you are still bored quickly - change approach!

Well, I think I have not mentioned the wonderful pittsburgh university which has a leading messiah in the crusade against the learning blockade of polish language - Oscar Swan!

Google grammar and his name and you have a free very good grammar of polish. There are other resources in pittsburgh.edu slavic department also and they are all nice!

I know myself a good advice that I am unfortunately not really following at all times. FORGET ENGLISH!
Don't try to speak English (if you can). Think of yourself as well 0-lingual - no tongue and try that.
I would drive my girlfriend crazy so I am partly unable ale wiem na pewno ze to dzial...
I tried some polish - probably with some mistake:-)

Resources on the net - did I mention stuff like:

Wordreference.com - a quite decent dictionary for the more specialized.
Livemocha.com and others (learning sites)
Quizlet.com very good flash cards when you are beginning
http://polish.slavic.pitt.edu/~swan/beta/   copy and paste sorry - is the BEST DICTIONARY I know online. It has verb constructions and things like that. (Again sweet sweet pittsburgh)

Anyhow, I don't want to rock solo here so feel free (as usual) to blend in with the crowd!!!

Pat/Peaco

I have an outrageous suggestion for you: don't bother. In any city of Poland, everyone under the age of 40 will be busily learning English. Do you care about the others? Are you planning to live here forever? If not, then spend your time and energy learning a language that really matters: Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic. You already know English, so consider yourself very fortunate indeed.

To Ahingston and the like I guess...

Yes, it is an alternative. Many english speaking people make that choice while living here. It is though not my decision.
My decision is to learn Polish.

Ok, so that is simple. Then comes the important: Why?
A lesson in motivation: The more answers to why? you can come up with the more motivated you will be. The reasons to why do something is key to succeeding.
I have a view that if I don't know the social surrounding in which I am operating in then I consider myself lost - or ignorant. If I don't bother about it - that makes me more ignorant.
I am not an ignorant - so I bother. That is one reason/reason nr 1.

2nd - Language is learning, and it is also learning you to be a different person. Every language you learn changes you.

3rd and many others: Knowing Polish in poland means several benefits: You can read books, you can have conversations you could never have, you can UNDERSTAND culture a bit.

4th - Learning Polish is best adressed IN poland. Unlike mandarin, or spanish. Learning languages in a place they are not spoken SUCKS!! - This is the goooood time AND place!

5th - You get smart/-er by learning languages.

6th - I would feel great just by the accomplishment

7th - While I am doing it I have FUN!

8th - The move away from pain principle: For me it is a WASTE of my time if I am with people with whom I can not speak, and it is PAINFUL also. So by learning I get away from that pain.
Basically motivation is moving away from pain and towards pleasure... as simple as that.

That is all about WHY? for me! Maybe someone else has different thinking about it. More simple.
Interestment in polish culture a probable one.
The main thing STOPPING me, are other interests - Music, thinking, cooking = the time consumed by the other 'burning flames' of life in progress.

Remember - the more reasons = the more motivation.
And it applies to anything not only language.
A depressed person is lacking reasons to live. That is why he wants to die. The reasons to 'want to die' can never be many. Nobody 'knows' how it is to be dead - or DO YOU??
Oh, sweet Jesus:)

Thanks, rest in peace!

DARN!!!

I double posted the links to internet sites!!

I AM SORRYYYY!!!! - But they ARE good! (Goooofying on!)

Hi, all 'readers'! (once more)

I just want to make an appeal to the 'thanks' function = If anybody likes the INFO, it would be nice to make a little thanks/something to the discussion.
Internet is a place with a lot of viewers, and fewer doers, or people who participate in discussions.
Take any forum and you see 2000 views, 4 posts... or something.

'My name is Jimmy Whale and I want to make an upheel! To U, and U, and U U U! (In bass voice)'     Geee, thanks a lot!      Bye bye!

Hi
It is big challenge to learn polish. My student (I am polish language instructor) from France told me that: Polish is only for intelligent people. So U can consider Yourself as a inteligent person! U are at Poland so learn polish. Now it is quite a lot of books, but "Hurra" is not the best one  I must say. Buy some polish grammer, study it Yourself but try to meet with polish people, to leasen to poilish radio and tv - it is very good way to learn languages.

Hi,
To learn polish words you may try out the site: openflashcards.org.

Regards,
Tom

@ Sayed.abd: Please note that you can also post an advert in the section language exchange in Warsaw for better visibility

It's difficult, but i refuse to quit!